


AU Exploration Team

by BlissHellfire



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Swapfell (Undertale), Gen, multiverse exploration
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-28
Updated: 2021-01-28
Packaged: 2021-03-13 22:00:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29035839
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlissHellfire/pseuds/BlissHellfire
Summary: Gaster and his team are exploring the multiverse. It's their first month and his trial employment of his newest assistant has come to an end. They constantly butt heads and this latest AU pushes them to the breaking point.
Relationships: human oc & bitty





	AU Exploration Team

**Author's Note:**

> I might change the title. It was originally a shitpost and now that I want to take it seriously, Idk. HERE WE GO!

From the echo flowers to the mushrooms, the cavern glows a vibrant blue. Even the grass was faintly iridescent.

Switch ambles along the creek’s shore, a stocky fellow with awfully muddy wader. Somehow bits of mud even got onto their thread bare black tank top. It felt nice having a pair of form fitting pants after so long. Gently, they run their hand against the side of their buzzcut. Given the week of growth, it was practically meditative running their hand over it. Too bad they had to wear a hat to cover most of it. Guess a human stands out like a sore thumb.

The grass barely reaches above their boots. It seems that four inches is as much as the stalks can support before flopping over. Their boots sink deep into the mud. Each hole gushes at the entry of another foreign invader. It thrusts the foul smell of rotten eggs into the air.

They double over coughing, bile rising in their throat. “Just when I got over the damn smell.” Their throat still burns from the earlier coughing fit.

Just the effort of bending lit their calves ablaze again. They only sat a few minutes earlier but the aches in their feet return full force.

“Frick frack!” Switch falls to their knees.

Yet again, their hands are covered in mud.

“Seriously!??”

They crawl to a nearby fallen mushroom. However, it’s more like a small tree. If it could stand upright, it would’ve reached Switch’s shoulders, perhaps further. They would’ve preferred the sturdiness of a bridge but it’s the only thing that won’t sink nearby. Their shoulders sage the moment their ass hits the stem. The ache in their feet dulls to a manageable throb. Their legs settle back down like a baby once fed.

“Jesus Christ,” Switch hisses. “why can’t ya just frickin’ chill.”

They gingerly roll their ankles to hear the familiar pop. They’d be lucky if they weren’t limping all the way back.

_Guess putting off the foot doc for my whole life has its downfalls._

Like a drunk driver hitting a telephone pole, the exhaustion nearly knocks Switch out. It takes all their strength not to lay down then and there and fall asleep. Even keeping their eyes open feels like fighting an upward battle. The ambient sound of the river rushing numbs their mind. Everything meanders. Even their thoughts take what feels like decades to form.

“Dats not so bad.” Switch slurs. Their chest rises and falling delightfully slow intervals. At some point, their sinuses must’ve cleared up.

Breathing is the best.

They’re still even warm from this morning. The good fortune just keeps piling up.

“Why did I even bring it to begin with?” Someone mutters.

Switch instinctively grabs for their hood. They removed their cat monster disguise ages ago. If a monster sees them now… they’re fucked. Fellverses aren’t the type to ask questions. Their hoodie is another story…

_left it in Snowdin… **again**. _

_Same damn spot._

_Never to be found again… except at Gerson’s shop._

_Stolen? Pff! Gerson wouldn’t give a rat’s ass._

_Who’d even buy a hoodie for that damn much? Stupid fucking idiot._

Doesn’t matter.

Cover first, be pissy about their third lost love later.

As they sit up, their whole body screams to sit the FUCK back down. Lucky for them, it wasn’t someone but something. A huge draft sents dozens of the echo flowers talking at once.

For the momentus finale, the gust sends a the largest whipping about like a cattail. It promptly dumps a heavy helping of water on them.

_Screw staying warm, I guess!_

Someone says. “Do you really think she’ll like it?”

Switch hits the deck immediately.

_Fuck! instincts **again**. _

They could’ve sworn that was an actual person.

Whatever remaining part of their attire that was dry instantly has the cold damp seep in. They barely can feel it. Their heart pounds so quickly they can barely breathe.

_Chill, its just the flowers._

“I bet she will!” Another voice cheered. “Let’s show her.”

Switch looks up to the source, two tiny echo flowers. Judging by their size, they couldn’t be more than a year old.

“Right now?” The first voice squeaks.

“C’mon! There’s no time like the present. What…”

There’s a long pause.

“I.. Um… I made these for.. you..”

Before it can say anymore, Switch grabs the last flower’s stem. “Don’t.”

It echoes back. “Don’t.”

They must’ve been holding their breath up until then. They couldn’t help but gasp.

The next draft sends a flower swaying and echoing Switch’s words. Their proximity to ANY echo flowers suddenly feels unappealing.

Begrudgingly, Switch stomps back a ways upstream to a bridge. There, they hang their legs off. The blessed absence of weight on them sends a pleasant hum up and down them.

Standing still, being able to breathe, they smell themselves too.

“Fuck, that’s rank.”

It’s a sour sweet smell. The mud must’ve mixed in too.

It’s _a_ _whole new BO_.

Switch lays back. the rotten wood creeks under their weight. The smell of fresh cool water smell drowning out the worst of the dank air.

It couldn’t have been five minutes before Switch felt the next draft. If they hadn’t been moving all day, they wouldn’t have felt it. It’s like the cold just became real. A distant thought prior, now a reality. Goose bumps race up and down their arms. The circulation was already going downhill. They could feel it. Whatever warmth they stored up on the train was fleeting. They’d been working for too long outside. Even their fingers tips were sore. Sitting up was a herculean effort in and of itself.

“Be back home soon.”

They find themself imaging the multiverse train that they arrived on.

It had only been a few months but they’d gotten used to it. Good things rarely last. They might as well enjoy. Gaster sure as hell won’t let them stay once their traveler’s permit expires.

They sigh. Wallowing isn’t their style, might as well collect the rest of the samples and mosey on back ho--- to the train.

* * *

If the samples had a mind of their own, they were surely showing their rebellious side now.

“FRICK THIS!” Switch throws the non-cooperative test tube into the stream. It skips three times before sinking. “FRICK YOU! Even your bloody samples are _assholes_!”

Switch scowls at the collection. In a very shrill voice, they say, “If there is ONE thing I hate more than sunlight… and country music-- IT’S THESE MOTHER DUCKING SAMPLES!”

Contemplating, why, in everything that they’ve done, that this seemed better than a normal 9-5. Oh yeah, exploring with no rent and meeting a fuck ton of people from all different kinds of realities has its perks... _Sometimes_.

And then there’s this, the stupid, boring as fuck grunt work.

“Why do I always get sent out for the cold stuff? Can barely feel my fucking fingers.”

Simply curling them into fists takes a massive amount of effort. .

“If I had a nickel for every useless dirt sample or whatever that I had to take, they’d be set for life. Of all the things that Gaster found fascinating about this world, it’s the most boring shit imaginable. If I was in charge..”

Switch chuckles at the thought. Like Gaster would ever give up the reigns in the slightest.

“I’d study their social structures. Their religion is absolutely incredible in the way that it intersects and departs from the Judeo-Christian. If I spend time in their library—”

Switch rips into laughter.

“What am I saying? Half the AUs we visit I’d need Gaster as an escort. He’d never let me do that.”

The last of the samples were in some hard-to-reach places. They regularly lost balance or forgot to put their stoppers back on. Several more falls later, even with the waders, Switch feels the cold creeping from their toes. A numbness grips them. All they want to do is yank the stupid waders, shoes, everything off so they can just hold their feet close.

Wet.

Chaffing and Wet.

_Why did there have to be so many samples?_

_Was it all that necessary?_

After another successful sample, Switch jams their hands into their arm pits. Its wet and sticky like the rest but at least its dry.

“I’ll be warm soon.”

Switch breathes out a puff of mist.

They wipe the mud onto their pants. They’ve got to try to keep the samples clean, even if it’s a little futile.

Switch even got to see a couple new species of fish within the glowing neon blue waters. They quickly note it. It would be interesting to talk about. The size and its shape.. it’s pretty small compared for the species but nothing appears to be the largest one. Perhaps they are overfished? Or maybe the ecosystem just can’t support them getting any larger. They could ask Gaster when they get back. He may know.

“Fiddle sticks.” Switch mutters.

It’s like a metal clamp squeezes the fuck out of their feet. Whatever depth perception and awareness drained; they stumble back into the mud. “Well, now I’m covered.” Switch laughs hollowly.

Momentarily, the wind dies down. The water trinkles past painfully quiet. Something doesn’t feel right. Switch’s breath hitches when they hear it. It sounds like footsteps across a distant bridge. Fast. Real fast. If Switch had to guess, they’re only a cavern or two away. Intermittently, they get louder and softer between the bridges. Without a moment to lose, Switch dives into the mud.

Thankfully, no echo flowers are near the water’s edge.

Nobody can see them, or so they hope.

They’d done it dozens of times already today. Enough monsters passed through. It wasn’t worth risking a confrontation. Though, the other monsters never got this close. No matter how shallow they breathed, it never seemed quite enough. They’re far enough out of the glow of the flowers. It’s unlikely anyone could see them but they could never be too careful.

Thank God they wore dark colors.

As they sink in, they feel something sharp jab into their stomach.

_Oh fuck, that better not be a needle._

Switch clenches their jaw.

Another set of hollow footsteps. It must be the last bridge. The smack of feet on muddy ground gets closer and closer until the monster’s so close that Switch can hear their breathing.

It’s incredibly heavy.

It’s as if they’ve never ran before. Or perhaps their out of shape.

Switch doesn’t risk looking up. They keep their face planted in the mud. The LV washes over them igniting every nerve in their body. It was the one thing about Fell AUs that made them want to puke. On the surface, Fell monsters didn’t let lose LV. Underneath? LV was spread around generously like butter on toast. You’d drowned in it in public if you weren’t in a private establishment.

Switch tried to swallow. No such luck. Their tongue felt like leather against the roof of their mouth. The taste of dirt and sand mixing on their lips along with the salt from their sweat.

A voice so faint floats through the cavern. For a Fellverse, it’s oddly non-threatening. “ _Switch_.”

It’s oddly familiar but… Gaster would never speak like that. There’s always a hint of distain in his voice.

“ _Switch_.” The voice hisses, grinding out their name like sand paper.

They must’ve been mishearing it the first time. Switch just looks up at Gaster. A new wave of LV whips into Switch so hard that it knocks their breath away. They can’t see Gaster’s face but the attacks dissolving behind him are answer enough.

“I almost dusted you.” Gaster growls. “Say something next time before moving. Idiot.” However, unlike time and time before, those red eye lights of his aren’t trained on them. Instead, they wander amongst the cavern.

“Get up.” He adds but the bite isn’t there like before.

If he’s here, then something went wrong at the Hotland labs.

“What happened—”

Gaster holds up a hand.

Switch holds their breath They resist the urge to get up as the pain in their stomach grows more intense.

Whatever it was. Switch couldn’t hear it. Just the running water and the wind picking up again. Gaster seemed satisfied at whatever he waited for. He roughly grabs Switch by the shoulder yanking them up.

“Wow, you look like shit~”

Gaster doesn’t seem to hear it. Not even a biting remark, instead, he picks up the brief case of samples and says, “Our cover is blown. We’re leaving.”

Something felt wrong about him. Questions bubbled up from everywhere but they still couldn’t quite breathe enough. There’d be time later.

As the path took them between mushrooms and different flora, the meager light momentarily illuminated Gaster’s visage. He’s skull glistens in the light. It hadn’t rained for nearly an hour. Gaster couldn’t have gotten wet.

_It must be sweat._

Gaster’s panting never ceases. He wasn’t kidding about being found out.

_Did he run all the way from Hotland?_

Switch is yanked back to the present when Gaster holds up an arm. “We’re taking a shortcut.”

“Wait, why—oh.” Switch notices the little fire sprite run around the corner. “Maybe they didn’t see us?” Switch says hopefully. There’s an awful lot of bog to wade through.

He dismissively waves before he cuts straight through the bog, ignoring the path. “You’re being paranoid!” Switch hisses. “You said we needed to get back. I’ll just go first if you’re scared—”

Gaster turns back. The look on _that_ face. “Don’t.” Gaster raised his voice in that precise tone that Switch hated. It reminded them of.. something. They couldn’t ignore it.

Thing is, Gaster didn’t get two steps before nearly falling over. The mud rises to his thigh, despite his height.

“Um….”

“I’m fine.”

“You know, I could…”

Gaster grumpily yanks his feet out, leaving his shoes behind. Momentarily, he looks back as if considering getting them, only to sigh when the mud swallows them again.

“What?” he snarls at Switch.

_Oh, musta been staring._

Switch shrugs but Gaster was already focused in dragging his boney ass back to solid ground. The rest of the walk Switch listens to the slap of Gaster’s boney feet on stone and mud. Some duck weed trails behind him. Switch’s eyes water up to Gaster’s lab coat. If Gaster had a rocking bod, it would probably be under that along with the sweaters. Gaster always wore a crap ton of them. Today the lab coat was barely white, probably. it was hard to tell in the lighting but judging by how his socks were already brown, they doubted his lab coat fared much better.

“RUN!” Gaster barks.

A faint whistling sound was all the warning Switch got before a magical crimson battle wizzes past. It’s like a fire poker ran down Switch’s back. Ignoring the pain of their arms. Legs. Eyes. It doesn’t matter. They couldn’t stay. They had to put everything into their legs.

Everything _burns_.

They outrun Gaster through the bog instead of the trail, a much quicker route.

Alphys lets rip a massive roar. It’s painful to hear at this distance. Switch nearly trips over themself in shock as it echoes again and again and again. One that is so iconic that it makes the echo flowers sway, some even crying back with similar wails.

They’re nearly there when they realize Gaster isn’t behind them. Whatever strength he had to run to Waterfall, its running out. He can barely maintain a jog. Alphys is only a few bridges away. There’s no way that Gaster can outrun her. He definitely can’t defeat her. He’s said it himself.

Switch’s chest seizes until they don’t feel it anymore. Their body goes numb to the exhaustion. All that needs to happen is Gaster on the train.

The whole world grows silent.

All the sounds come rushing back. Their periphery darkens. Gaster reachces the center. Then it snaps with the screaming thoughts in Switch’s head.

_GET GASTER!_

_GET GASTER!_

_GET GASTER BACK!_

With that, they go-go-go-GOGOGO!

Switch moves like a tank across the wetland. Painfully loud. Alerting anyone in the area.

_Doesn’t matter._

_Doesn’t matter._

_GET GASTER_ , echoes within their mind like a mantra as they skim over the muddy planes.

The situation’s worse than Switch expected. Gaster’s eye lights are nearly gone.

Switch grabs ahold of his hand. They half expect him to yank away. Maybe yell. Probably both. Instead, he stares like a deer in the head lights. He opens his mouth.

_No time._

Switch yanks him so hard forward that they might’ve dislocated his arm.

_Doesn’t matter._

_He’ll live._

Gaster barely is able to stay on his feet. He somehow manages. Switch cuts corners. Their boots barely keep purchase on the slippery trail. Anything to claw out an advantage. They only stop momentarily to dodge an axe suddenly flying across the path.

They can’t keep up at this rate. Their chest feels like a huge hand is squeezing it. Legs keep getting heavier. Their feet are breaking down. They shouldn’t have been out there in them, dry or not. Everything is so close to falling. They can’t last much longer.

Everything is going to go to shit.

Somehow, they managed to get out of sight of Alphys. It won’t last long. A cavern away, Switch catches sight of orange scales amongst the overgrown forest of mushrooms.

_I don’t have time for this!_

There isn’t any place to hide. The echo flowers are too numerous. They light up everything. It’ll take more time to get Gaster back than to stay. Alphys will find them either way… Unless..

Momentarily, a flash from an old cartoon pops into their head. It’s of a cat escaping a swarm of bees. The cats grabs a reed and breathes—

UNDER WATER!

Without further consideration, Switch leaps into the nearest pool. Gaster yelps. The water hits Switch like an icy wall. They nearly shot back up to the surface. Their feet dig into the squishy mud and duck weed. In that moment of indecision, they let go of Gaster.

He’s nearly out of the pond when they get to him.

Gaster throws an elbow. Switch ducks, then holds him under the arms and lock his head. “Get down!” They hisses. “Don’t fight me for once! I’m trying to save your sorry ass!” Switch yanks him back down.

He struggles the whole way down. At some point, even jabbing Switch upside the chin. Switch lets go and hold him by his side. Then they swim further down with the other. They dig their hand in what feels like fishing net and hold on for dear life.

Everything hurts.

AND GASTER. ISN’T. HELPING!

Gaster struggles every step of the way. He even bites down on Switch’s arm. They instinctively let go. Their longs burn to follow Gaster. he’s almost out of reach when they yank him back down. this time, they keep a tight choke hold. 

_air._

**_AIR_ ** _._

_AIR!_

_NEED AIR!_

Switch holds firm the struggling scientist. Switch barely notices when the LV washes over them. If they were paying close attention, they’d notice how Gaster’s LV was suppressed in an instant. Alphys couldn’t have been there for more than a moment. Just long enough to run past and the LV disappeared altogether. Only then did Switch takes their first gulp of fresh air.

And damn is it sweet.

_Who knew air could be so amazing?_

“Switch!” Gaster coughs.

Switch dumbly stairs down at the skeleton they still hold in a head lock. “Oh yeah. Your welcome.”

He briskly climbs out to glare at Switch. “Fuck you!”

“Wow, that how you treat all the bitches you go down on.”

That was briskly rewarded with mud to the face.

“Pweh! Pweh! God, fricking fudge-nudgets! Pweh!” Switch spits out another chunk of mud. “I was just fucking joking. Take a chill pill or something, you massive prick.”

“She will return. If not the Captain, the Dogi.” Gaster pulls out some duck weed from his acoustic meatus. “Unless you _want_ to meet her.” With a flurry of fabric, Gaster dramatically turns on his heal.

“Fuck, can’t you just give an enby a second to catch their breath?” Switch grits out.

All the pain they shoved down with the adrenaline is fading. They barely can yank themself back on shore. Instead, they have to swim downstream to climb out. By that point, Gaster is already around another bend.

“Bet he didn’t even notice.”

The rest of the walk was done in silence. Switch let Gaster stay a bend ahead of them. It didn’t look like Alphys was coming back this way despite their misgivings. though, they couldn’t seem to relax. That was so fucked. They need food, a nice blanket, dry clothes and everything will be alright.

Each step their lead legs grind closer to death. The spot where Gaster bit them still throbs. Damn, he drew a decent amount of blood too.

“What’s his problem? Just saved his boney ass. Fuck him. Fuck this. Maybe I should be counting my blessing?”

_Nooooooo. My head hurts._

_Shit, did I drink **anything**?_

However, Switch could feel their body clench at that. This was one bad day. One really bad day. But things hadn’t gotten better between Gaster and themself. If anything, they’d gotten more strained. How the hell is Switch supposed to work with a person who constantly is giving them the cold shoulder? Switch gave up awhile back being civil.

_This guy just wants to pick fights? So be it. I’ll will take him up on everyone. I’ve got the time._

Switch is yanked from their daydreams when they notice Gaster standing beside the rock wall. The platform is delineated with two rows of sticks with a messy “Welcome Home” mat made of laminated paper. Most of it already sank into the mud.

Gaster raises his voice. “AJ, IF YOU DON’T OPEN THE DOOR THIS INSTANCE---”

A black text box pops into the air in a puff of red smoke. The lettering teasingly reads. “ _EEEER! Incorrect! better luck next time~_ ”

Switch calls out. “M-mista obwama?” Only part way through the password, Gaster’s hand slips through the previously solid wall.

_Guess nobody’s in a good mood today._

“Then perish.” The word perish is spaced out and shakes.

Gaster steps through the text box. The magic dissolves into shimmering glitter particles. It keeps on breaking down until it reaches the ground, where there’s nothing left of message.

Stepping through the rock wall is like walking through any other empty space. It’s as if it wasn’t even there. The first few times.. sheesh! It was hard getting used to just walking through. Now, that little part of Switch that warned them of the pain of running into a brick wall had long. A month of practice walking into solid walls teachers you a thing or two. They walk through, hands at their side with no anticipation of injury.

Upon stepping into the train, their hit by a batch of stale air. It’s almost like walking into a Butterfly exhibit in a zoo with how different it felt. The oppressive atmosphere of the Swapfell Underground left behind giving birth to what appears to be a boring old train. The seats had been patched over a couple times. Switch notices a distinct shuffling of passengers into the next train car. Must be Gaster flexing his LV like nobody’s business. All the Fell monsters and a couple solid Taleverse ones don’t budge.

Switch can’t help but smile when rewarded with Gaster snorting, then stopping away to “clean up.” 

Switch whistles at the sight of AJ. The less than estatic bitty punctures the tiny cat walk’s railing with his claws. His fingerless gloves emphasize the magic bristling along his bones. It almost looks like he has blood vessles or tendons. His normally arch brows are set low. The snap back’s a little off center and his hoodie pulls up hiding most his neck. Switch resisted the urge to point out his shoes were untied. The speakers play the autotuned pre-recorded voice a few times for effect. Normally, that would make their sibling smile. Today, he just readjusts his shades from ‘STFU / IDGAF’ to ‘EDGE’ like they normally read.

A textbox pops up before Switch’s eyes reading “ _wayla_?”

“Nothing.” Switch shrugs. “Just thought you liked that password. You okay?”

AJ keeps glaring in the direction of the bathroom.

“AJ? Is there something… Oh.”

 _“Did he get a stick shoved up his ass before or after the pool_?” AJ’s text box reads.

You could say that.” AJ’s eyes fall to the bite marks on Switch’s arm. They instinctively cover them. “Long story. I’ll fill you in later.”

A text box unrolls between them and the living quarters of the train. The typing icon comes up but then it just reads. “fine.”

It’s another couple minutes before Gaster finally finishes in the bathroom. He’s in a crisp new lab coat, thick black boots. Switch half expects him to shove them while passing through the narrow corridor. Instead, Gaster clings to the wall, pointedly avoiding eye contact.

In all the times, that had to be the first where Gaster hadn’t looked. His expression was indescribable frustrating. His eye lights were impossibly dim. Plus the way his eye brows knotted and the edges of his mouth tensed.

Switch couldn’t help but stare after Gaster.

_I must be losing my touch._

_He couldn’t be… nah! Just tired. He wouldn’t ever avoid me._

**Author's Note:**

> *If there's any content warnings you'd like me to put down, feel free to comment below. 
> 
> ~~~~Archival Notes~~~  
> OG: September 9th, 2020  
> Compiling: December 1st – December 13th, 2020  
> Editing: December 14th, 2020 - January 25th, 2021  
> Next Chapter: TBD
> 
> Credits:  
> Underfell – Undertale Community  
> Bittybones @Fucken-Crybaby and @bittybones-au  
> Unfresh @thegreatrogue  
> Description @llwandehll  
> https://llwandehll.tumblr.com/post/188046289846/unfresh-blogthegreatrouge-fell-ink-i
> 
> ~~~End of Archival Notes~~~
> 
> Hope you enjoyed my little fic.


End file.
